A fellow artist friend who does art festivals suggested I have one giant painting that would really draw people into my booth for an upcoming show. I had the time and thought about what I might paint. I recently completed several cafe scenes that I will feature at the festival, so it made sense that it would be the subject matter of this new painting. I was trying to find a local spot to feature when I had an idea.

I’ve been on Instagram for a few months, sharing my artwork, following others. One of my favorite person to follow has been a lovely British lady who lives on the Amalfi coast of Italy and shares her day to day life. She has lived there for nearly twenty years, speaks the language, and has made a career that works for her there. As I have been seeking to find the beauty right where I live, she does the same. (Only she is in Italy and I’m in Florida.) I love seeing what she posts, pictures of her life and appreciate her realness. The setting is beautiful, but life in Italy has its challenges too. Loving many of her photos I asked if I could use them to paint from and she agreed. I had seen the photo that inspired this painting a few months ago and loved it. Cafe scene, dappled lighting, vibrant colors, bougainvillea, even some umbrellas if you look close. It seemed the perfect scene to paint. This is a beachside restaurant/cafe called Pupetto’s in Positano, Italy, a small town on the Amalfi Coast.

It’s a reminder to savor the moments in life, carve into your schedule times to rest, to recharge, invest in what is good for your heart.

Going to Italy has been on my bucket list for years. Being able to see Michelangelo’s Sistine chapel, and sculptures, take a gondola ride around the waterways of Venice, take in the scenery along one of the mountainous coasts. My lists of places in this country I’d like to visit continues to grow. Right now it’s out of reach. So I try to look for beauty where I am and wait to see what the future holds.